Camera adapters

[Sconesbie]

I have a Pentax KM digital slr and a Skywatcher SW450 telescope. Can I please have some advise around adapters and what I need to hook it up to my telescope please.

Thank you

[cometcatcher]

There's a couple of ways you could do it. Afocal is a method where you just hold or mount the camera and lens up to the eyepiece. Good for Moon and quick planet shots.

I'm not sure if your focuser is up to the task of prime focus with the K-m. You can get T adapters to fit 1 1/4 inch focuser tubes. I know Celestron make them. They are used with a Pentax K T ring to fit your camera to, but I'm not sure if your focuser has enough inward travel to reach focus.

[rogerco]

I have found that the afocal adaptors brackets never seem to work the way they are supposed to, especially with a heavier camera. Another option is a eyepiece projection adapter. These are tubes which take an eyepiece internally then have a thread to take a T adapter to fit to the camera. They are not expensive and might be worth a try as they keep the optical path nice and straight, check out Bintel and MyAStroshop.